Dynamic foot support and kit therefor

Abstract

An orthotic device which includes a resilient member having a perimetral outline conforming to a predetermined portion of the human foot. This resilient member includes a plurality of segments, each of these segments having a perimetral outline conforming to a predetermined different portion of the human foot. All of the segments are of the same uniform thickness. The durometer of the segments are selected from one of a group of ranges of durometer 120 BHN or less, 140 BHN, and 180 BHN and greater.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An orthotic device comprising a resilient member having a perimetral outline conforming to a predetermined portion of the human foot, said member including a plurality of adjoining segments, each said segment having a perimetral outline conforming to a predetermined different portion of the human foot and, at least a portion of said outline being complementary to at least a portion of the perimetral outline of an adjoining segment, each said segment being constructed from a material having a predetermined range of firmness and having a constant vertical thickness, all of said segments being of the same thickness to form a said member of uniform thickness, the firmness of said segments being selected from one of a group of ranges of durometer 120 BHN or less, about 140 BHN, and 180 BHN and greater, and each said segment being compressible independently of adjoining segments. 
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1 further including a flexible mask layer fixedly secured to the upwardly disposed surfaces of said segments. 
     
     
       3. The device of claim 2, further including a flexible, base member fixedly secured to the under surface of said segments. 
     
     
       4. The device of claim 1, wherein said member is made of a substantially resilient material that acquires a partial set in response to compression. 
     
     
       5. The device of claim 4, wherein said material is a closed cell, cross-linked polyethylene. 
     
     
       6. The device of claim 4, wherein said material is polyvinylchloride foam. 
     
     
       7. The device of claim 1, wherein adjacent ones of said segments are provided with complementary perimetral portions, whereby, individual ones of said segments are joined to adjacent ones of said segments to form a lamina complementary to a predetermined portion of a human foot. 
     
     
       8. The device of claim 1, wherein there are four said segments, said segments having perimetral configurations proportioned to underlie the netatarsal heads, the medial midfoot, lateral midfoot, and the heel portions of the foot, respectively. 
     
     
       9. The device of claim 8 wherein the forwardly disposed edges of said metatarsal head segments are disposed along an angled line extending at an angle of about 142 degrees from a point on that one of said metatarsal segments underlying the second metatarsal articulation. 
     
     
       10. The device of claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of said segments having perimetral configurations and being disposed to underlie predetermined individual ones of the metatarsal heads. 
     
     
       11. The device of claim 1, wherein said member has a vertical section of 50 millimeters or less. 
     
     
       12. An orthotic device comprising a resilient, planar member having a plurality of adjoining segments of constant vertical thickness, each said segment having a perimetral outline configured and positioned to underlie a predetermined portion of the plantar surface of the human foot, at least a portion of said outline being complementary to at least a portion of the perimetral outline of an adjoining segment, the firmness of each said segment being selected from one of the ranges of durometer values of 120 BHN and less, greater than 120 BHN and less than 180 BHN, and 180 BHN and greater, to produce individual segments having variable resistance to pressures exerted thereagainst by said predetermined portion of the plantar surface of the foot to thereby control descent of the corresponding portion of the foot when in use. 
     
     
       13. The device of claim 12, wherein each said segment is initially planar, each said segment acquiring a vertical contour complementary to the corresponding portion of the plantar surface, said contour being the resultant of the combined action of the contour of said portion of the plantar surface and the pressure exerted thereby against said segment and the firmness of said segments. 
     
     
       14. The device of claim 13, wherein said segments are made from a closed cell, cross-linked polyethylene foam. 
     
     
       15. The device of claim 14, further including a flexible layer overlying and fixedly secured to the upwardly disposed surface of said member. 
     
     
       16. The device of claim 15, further including a flexible, compressible base layer underlying and fixedly secured to the under surface of said member. 
     
     
       17. The device of claim 13, wherein said segments are made of polyvinylchloride foam. 
     
     
       18. A kit for assembling an orthotic device comprising a flexible, base layer having a perimetral outline conforming to the shape of the plantar surface of a human foot, a plurality of adjoining control segments of uniform vertical thickness having perimetral configurations conforming to predetermined portions of said plantar surface and at least a portion of the outline of each segment being complementary to at least a portion of the perimetral outline of an adjoining segment, said control segments being made of a material of selected durometer from each of the durometer ranges of BHN 120 and less, BHN 140, and BHN 180 and greater, and a flexible mask layer of the same perimetral dimensions as said base layer; said base layer, said control layer, and said cushion layer, when assembled, conforming to a predetermined standard shoe size. 
     
     
       19. The kit of claim 18, wherein said mask layer further includes a moisture absorbing surface layer. 
     
     
       20. The kit of claim 19, wherein selected ones of said control segments, when assembled, have a perimetral outline complementary to a predetermined portion of the plantar surface of a human foot. 
     
     
       21. The kit of claim 18 wherein each of said control segments is of the same thickness. 
     
     
       22. The kit of claim 21, wherein each said control segment is made from a resilient material that takes a predetermined percentage set in response to pressure.